Protein expression and significance of VEGF, EGFR and MMP-9 in non-small cell lung carcinomas

This study was designed to detect the protein expression of VEGF, EGFR and MMP-9, to investigate the potential roles they might play in the pathogenesis of NSCLC and to discuss their relationship and their clinical significance.

For 136 cases who were diagnosed of NSCLC, immunohistochemistry was used to detect protein expression of VEGF, EGFR and MMP-9 tumour and normal lung tissue specimens. Statistical analysis was performed on the relationship between protein expression of VEGF, EGFR and MMP-9 and clinico-pathological parameters and prognosis.

Expression of VEGF and MMMP-9 was mostly in the cytoplasm, while EGFR wasfound in both cytoplasm and membranes. In NSCLCs, the positive rate of VEGF protein was 79.4% (108/136), for EGFR was 75.0% (102/136) and for MMP-9 was 68.4% (93/136), significantly greater than the normal tissue values of 16.0% (8/50), 12.0% (6/50) and 8.0% (4/50), respectively (P<0.01). Expression of VEGF, EGFR and MMP-9 was related to pathology grading, lymph node metastasis and clinical staging in NSCLC (P<0.01), while being independent of other clinicopathologic parameters (P>0.05). There was an obvious positive correlation among the expression of VEGF and EGFR (r=0.25; P<0.01), VEGF and MMP-9 (r=0.28; P<0.01), EGFR and MMP-9 (r=0.19; P<0.05) in NSCLCs.

Protein expression of VEGF, EGFR and MMP-9 is elevated higher in NSCLC, correlating with progression.